diff -Naur Python-2.3.3.orig/Doc/api/utilities.tex Python-2.3.3/Doc/api/utilities.tex
--- Python-2.3.3.orig/Doc/api/utilities.tex	2003-09-22 11:37:38.000000000 -0400
+++ Python-2.3.3/Doc/api/utilities.tex	2004-01-21 12:55:46.000000000 -0500
@@ -436,6 +436,10 @@
   is responsible for calling \cfunction{PyMem_Free()} to free the
   allocated buffer after use.
 
+  \item[\samp{ez} (string, Unicode object, character buffer
+  compatible object, or None) {[const char *encoding, char **buffer]}]
+  This is to \samp{es} as \samp{z} is to \samp{s}.
+
   \item[\samp{et} (string, Unicode object or character buffer
   compatible object) {[const char *encoding, char **buffer]}]
   Same as \samp{es} except that 8-bit string objects are passed
@@ -478,6 +482,11 @@
   In both cases, \var{*buffer_length} is set to the length of the
   encoded data without the trailing NUL byte.
 
+  \item[\samp{ez\#} (string, Unicode object, character buffer
+  compatible object, or None) {[const char *encoding, char **buffer,
+  int *buffer_length]}]
+  This is to \samp{es\#} as \samp{z} is to \samp{s}.
+
   \item[\samp{et\#} (string, Unicode object or character buffer compatible
   object) {[const char *encoding, char **buffer]}]
   Same as \samp{es\#} except that string objects are passed through
diff -Naur Python-2.3.3.orig/Python/getargs.c Python-2.3.3/Python/getargs.c
--- Python-2.3.3.orig/Python/getargs.c	2003-05-03 06:00:22.000000000 -0400
+++ Python-2.3.3/Python/getargs.c	2004-01-21 12:30:37.000000000 -0500
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@
 		char **buffer;
 		const char *encoding;
 		PyObject *s;
-		int size, recode_strings;
+		int size, recode_strings, return_null = 0;
 
 		/* Get 'e' parameter: the encoding name */
 		encoding = (const char *)va_arg(*p_va, const char *);
@@ -804,10 +804,16 @@
 			
 		/* Get output buffer parameter:
 		   's' (recode all objects via Unicode) or
+		   'z' (same as 's', but may be NULL (None)) or
 		   't' (only recode non-string objects) 
 		*/
 		if (*format == 's')
 			recode_strings = 1;
+		else if (*format == 'z') {
+			recode_strings = 1;
+			if (arg == Py_None)
+				return_null = 1;
+		}
 		else if (*format == 't')
 			recode_strings = 0;
 		else
@@ -825,6 +831,9 @@
 			s = arg;
 			Py_INCREF(s);
 		}
+		else if (return_null) {
+			*buffer = 0;
+		}
 		else {
 #ifdef Py_USING_UNICODE
 		    	PyObject *u;
@@ -888,6 +897,10 @@
 					"(buffer_len is NULL)",
 					arg, msgbuf, bufsize);
 			}
+			if (return_null) {
+				*buffer_len = 0;
+				break;
+			}
 			if (*buffer == NULL) {
 				*buffer = PyMem_NEW(char, size + 1);
 				if (*buffer == NULL) {
@@ -928,6 +941,8 @@
 			   PyMem_Free()ing it after usage
 
 			*/
+			if (return_null)
+				break;
 			if ((int)strlen(PyString_AS_STRING(s)) != size) {
 				Py_DECREF(s);
 				return converterr(